One Weekend of Fate for the Mets

At this time 90 days ago, if you told me the New York Mets were not guaranteed a playoff spot by now, I would have laughed at you. The Mets were 48-34 on June 26, still in first place, albeit by only a half game. In my mind, the 2024 season proved that these were not the “same old Mets”; that narrative was buried. The momentum built from last year’s magical run was still fresh even as they were enduring their first real rough patch of the season. No way they were going to miss the playoffs, I thought.

In three days, I might be proven wrong.

Hopefully, we get a bigger celebration this weekend. Credit: Rising Apple

As recently as a week ago, I wrote that I was still confident in New York clinching that final Wild Card berth. Now? The confidence is wavering. Though the team is still a game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds, the tiebreaker is not on the Mets’ side. It would behoove the club to sweep the Miami Marlins and not leave anything out of their hands. Easier said than done, considering the Marlins were eliminated from contention last night. There is nothing more the Fish would like to do than shut up the multitude of Mets’ fans that will invade Loan Depot Park this weekend.

So to the players of the New York Mets, what is it going to be? Will you rally and exhibit the sort of heart and guts that exemplified last year’s team? Or, does this weekend with perhaps the most disappointing Mets team of them all? Make no mistake, missing the playoffs will be much more catastrophic than the collapse of 2007. It will be far worse than “The Worst Team Money Can Buy of 1992. The Mets of 2025 would take the worst elements of both of those black marks in franchise history. It combines the collapse of 2007 with the payroll waste of 1992. I don’t think that’s an overstatement. Although I have a more passive rooting interest, I know I would be disgusted if this weekend ends without a champagne celebration. It would have to be the most disappointing Met outcome of my lifetime.

One weekend of fate. One weekend to determine if the New York Mets have buried their narrative of rotten luck once and for all. Win, and it’s sunshine for at least a week. Lose, and go down in infamy. Your choice.

Kyle Schwarber is Making His MVP Case

Kyle Schwarber is rolling into free agency the right way. The Phillies’ designated hitter has 56 home runs to lead all National League hitters. He sits two behind Ryan Howard‘s club record of 58. Schwarber’s 132 RBI’s is nine better than his closest competitor, Pete Alonso. Most importantly, his club is all but guaranteed the #2 seed and a first round bye. Put it all together and you have a man that should be looking at a nice payday this offseason, be it from the Phillies or someone else.

Kyle Schwarber is pointing to his first MVP award. Credit: 97.3 ESPN

There is one other thing you might call Kyle Schwarber: Most Valuable Player.

The odds are long that Schwarber claims the award over Shohei Ohtani. It’s very difficult to beat out the guy that pitches and hits exceptionally well. Most of Ohtani’s stats are better than Schwarber’s. However, Schwarber has been the one constant on the Phillies, whose 93 wins are second in baseball behind the Milwaukee Brewers. People can talk all they want about the Dodgers’ injuries and underachievement. The only other player who has performed consistently for Philadelphia is J.T. Realmuto. Schwarber has not missed a game this season. Isn’t the old saying, “the best ability is availability”? No one has more ability in 2025 than Kyle Schwarber. I know it’s not necessarily an apples to apples comparison but if Cal Raleigh is the favorite to win MVP in the American League and his OPS is 180 points lower than Aaron Judge‘s, why can’t Schwarber beat out Ohtani?

I’ll have no issue if Schwarber loses out to Ohtani. I would like him to win it because I truly believe he has been slightly more valuable for the Phillies. If he gets to 60 home runs, then I do believe Kyle Schwarber will be your National League Most Valuable Player.

Trying to Convince an Aaron Judge Skeptic

Unless a meteor lands in the Bronx and halts baseball there for a month, the New York Yankees are heading back to the postseason. They have played good ball in September with a 12-7 record, and having won five of their last six contests. But it’s not September that is the critical month around here. It is October, and if the Yanks fail to win the World Series it will be looked at as a 16th consecutive failed season. No one knows that better than Aaron Judge, the best player in the game but owner of playoff statistics that are decidedly below average for a player of his stature. No one fails to remind me of this more often than my own flesh and blood.

Aaron Judge really could use a big playoff run. Credit: Yahoo Sports

Whenever the subject comes up about Judge, Ryan is always quick to point out his playoff failures. It could be a meme about his dropped flyball in Game 5 of last year’s World Series or a prediction about Judge striking out five times in two games in this year’s Wild Card round (if that is where they end up). No matter how great the regular season numbers end up, there will always be a, “yeah but” attached to his name. Judge will never be considered a true great Yankee unless he wins a title. The truth is, he is not alone in his thinking. I’ll bet there are thousands of Yankee fans, like Ryan, who see Judge as doomed to repeat underachieving postseasons. Someone between the ages of 7 and 17 will still believe that this time will be different. Or, it could be someone as old as say, me, knowing that eventually, greatness does shine through. Once upon a time, Alex Rodriguez was vilified for his playoff failures. Then, for one magical October in 2009, it all clicked for him as he was great from the Divisional round all the way to New York’s Game 6 World Series clincher. The same can happen to Aaron Judge in 2025. If he has a similar playoff run to that of Rodriguez in 2009, you can bet the Yankees will be raising their 28th championship banner.

After reading this, I doubt Ryan will change his mind. He will need to see proof before committing to saying, “Aaron Judge is great when it counts”. I don’t even think four home runs in round one will change his mind. No, for Ryan and all of the like-minded Yankee fans out there, greatness will only be considered when Judge gets a ring.

Nick Castellanos Is Making Waves At the Wrong Time

The Philadelphia Phillies should not be sweating anything right now. Their biggest worry is supposed to be lining up their rotation for the playoffs. Alec Bohm is back in the lineup and Trea Turner is scheduled to face live pitching when the team returns home. A playoff bye is in sight, and the team has a chance to claim the best record in baseball. However, one guy is threatening to send the Phils into October on a bit of a Debbie Downer. This is not the first time Nick Castellanos has made questionable comments this season as it relates to his playing time. But they do come at a point of the season when all of the focus of the team should be on winning the World Series.

Nick Castellanos seems to be unhappy. Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer

This post was originally going to be about which starting pitcher will not get a turn in the National League Division series between Ranger Suarez, Aaron Nola and Jesus Luzardo. That can still be debated in this space sometime over the next week. However, when cruising around looking for news, I came across this latest Castellanos quote, courtesy of On Pattison’s Grace Del Pizzo:

Q: Do you understand why you haven’t been playing as much as your normally would? 

Castellanos: Uh, I don’t really talk to Rob [Thomson] all that often, so that’s just … I play whenever he tells me to play. And then I sit whenever he tells me to sit. 

Q: So the coaches or Rob don’t sit down and explain to you what they want you to do in whatever role they want you to have? 

Castellanos: Uh, communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience. But also, I grew up communicating with somebody like my father, which is very blunt, direct and consistent. 

I attached the full transcript here. It reads like a guy who is frustrated with a deceased role. Castellanos does go on to say that him saying he was “unhappy” would be “creating a narrative”. He clearly is trying to thread a needle between stating his clear disappointment and the team’s goal of winning a World Series. Nothing else in the interview suggests that Castellanos is trying to cause a distraction (at least intentionally) for the Phillies. However, it is a bad look to be saying a week before the season ends that the manager hasn’t been a good communicator with him.

As guy who has enjoyed much success during the course of his career, Nick Castellanos is feeling hurt with a decreased role. I can’t blame Rob Thomson for employing his outfield rotation. Castellanos’s production has slipped. I also don’t blame him for his reaction to all of the questions. I just wish he could find a way to express his feelings a little differently.

Confident in a Mets’ Playoff Berth

Mets’ fans, I apologize in advance if this prediction goes wrong. I feel very strongly that by this time next week, the Amazins will have clinched the final National League Wild Card spot. Before you get all mad at me, it’s not Sal Lincata declaring the NL East over. Follow me for a minute. There are signs that the Mets are done with the death spiral that dominated most of the last six weeks. Jonah Tong pitched well in his last outing. Francisco Lindor is on an eight game hitting streak. Juan Soto is aiming for 40-30. Pete Alonso keeps hitting home runs. To top it off, six of the last nine games are against the Nationals and Marlins. The other three are against the Cubs, who may be more content to rest before they begin their own Wild Card series.

Expect a bigger celebration than this next weekend. Credit: Yahoo Sports

It’s not just that the Mets are playing like we thought they would. It’s that other teams are blowing opportunities. When the Mets were mauled in a four game sweep in Philadelphia and dropping two in row to the Rangers, no one could leap ahead of them in the standings. Take the Reds. They were literally a game and a half out last week. They were then rewarded by getting swept in Sacramento by the A’s. Or the Giants. They were tied with the Reds, then proceeded to drop four in a row between Saturday and Tuesday. Finally, we have the Diamondbacks. After pulling off their best Monty Hall/Wayne Brady act at the deadline, they suddenly started playing well. In fact, on Wednesday morning, they had a chance to sweep the Giants, and with a Met loss, an opportunity to get within a half game of that last spot. Brandon Pfaadt threw nine (!) shutout innings but Arizona could not take advantage of two runner on third/one out situations late and ended up losing in 11 innings.

The combination of the Mets righting their own house and these other teams taking their best shots and missing is why I am supremely confident in a Mets’ playoff berth. I will get some heat from the Mets’ fans in my life about my bold statement for being a jinx. Too bad. Stop being a bunch of Chicken Littles. For once in your fandom, put it out there and tell me your team is October bound.

Tim Hill, Underrated Bullpen Star

Last month, I wrote about the one thing that united us as a baseball family. Actually, if you talk to most baseball fans, the majority will say bullpens are terrible. Much like the offensive line in football, bullpens seem to catch the most flak for a team’s troubles. The New York Yankees are no exception … Continue reading “Tim Hill, Underrated Bullpen Star”

Last month, I wrote about the one thing that united us as a baseball family. Actually, if you talk to most baseball fans, the majority will say bullpens are terrible. Much like the offensive line in football, bullpens seem to catch the most flak for a team’s troubles. The New York Yankees are no exception as two of their three deadline deals for relievers have not worked out. Jake Bird made two appearances and is now stuck in the Minors. Camilo Doval‘s ERA hovers near 6.00 as a Yankee. David Bednar, the third arm, has morphed into the Yankees’ closer thanks to the mid, bordering on subpar, performances of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. He has been a savior since his arrival at the trade deadline. It’s easy to think he’s the team’s only reliable man from the ‘pen.

I’ll take Tim Hill getting important outs. Credit: Sports Illustrated

Don’t forget about Tim Hill.

It’s so easy to focus on the failings of Doval, Williams, Weaver and the rest of the crew. Bullpens bring out irrational emotions. Hill has made 66 appearances, most on the club, to the tune of a 3.09 ERA. I will grant you that he has been below average for the last month or so. Still, he’s probably the one guy aside, from Bednar, I would want to close out a game. Crazy? Sure, I will submit to that. However, until we get more consistency from Williams and Weaver over these last two weeks, I will stand by that take. Plus, I am always partial to guys that throw submarine style. Think Tyler Rogers across the bridge in Queens and Dan Quisenberry and Kent Tekulve from a different era. That fact Hill is a submarining left-hander makes him even more a favorite of mine.

During last year’s World Series run, Hill allowed one earned run in 8 1/3 innings. That tells me he is battle tested and is reliable when it counts. Right now, the bullpen pecking order is Bednar, Hill and then everyone else. If the crew, specifically Williams and Weaver, pitch to their ceiling, they become the next guys up. However, don’t forget the importance of Tim Hill to the New York Yankees’ bullpen.

Can the Phillies Please Clinch the Division Tonight?

The Philadelphia Phillies clinched a playoff spot yesterday. However, I’d like to call it a muted celebration because the team did not win yesterday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. Instead, they “backed” in by virtue of a loss by the San Francisco Giants. Now the Phils head out on a difficult road trip, visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s real simple: one more victory and Philadelphia repeats as National League East champions.

I expect to see JT Realmuto catching the final out tonight. Credit: Sports Illustrated

For all that is good in the world, and for my sweet daughter Caitlyn, please clinch the division tonight.

Don’t fool around. Don’t drag this out any longer. Hang five runs on Anthony Banda in the first inning and let Ranger Suarez cook. Have Kyle Schwarber boost his MVP credentials with a three run home run in the third inning. Make those notorious Dodger fans leave in the fifth inning instead of the seventh. Let’s have Caitlyn go into school tomorrow in a fabulous mood. If the Phils lose tonight, I will be peppered with things like, “why do we stink” or, “can the Mets catch us” or my personal potential favorite, “we are regressing”. I don’t need such talk at 7: 30 AM and neither does Matthew. I’ll have to play “Dancing on My Own”, the team’s 2022 song, on a loop in order for her to feel better. No offense to the song because I like it but we need to hear it after a win, not a loss.

It’s an hour before first pitch. I’ll make three innings at most. And when I wake up in the morning, I want footage of champagne and beer goggles. It’s not a lot to ask.

Finally, a Good Sunday For the Mets

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life. What could the lyrics from a 1980s television show have to do with the New York Mets? Well, the facts of life and this iconic opening line apply to any Major League Baseball season. You have to take all of the good if you are a team like the Mets and endure some bad times over 162 games. Granted, their bad has been downright awful lately. However, on this Sunday, the Amazins had some good news on their side.

Carlos Mendoza is trying to run the Mets into the playoffs. Credit: Yahoo

Let’s start with their game in the afternoon. Nolan McLean was outstanding once again, tossing six shutout innings, departing with a 2-0 lead. You knew that wouldn’t last, correct? The bullpen gave it up but managed to get the game to extra innings. Pete Alonso then delivered the most important hit of the season, a three run home run to propel New York the 5-2 victory. The win halted the club’s eight game losing streak and it could not come at a more opportune time. It is also the type of game they would have lost earlier this month. The second part of the Mets’ fabulous day was the fact that both the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants lost their respective finales. They are the two teams chasing New York for the final playoff spot. Cincinnati, who owns the tiebreaker between the teams, is now 2.5 games back and on a three game losing streak. The Giants are now 1.5 games behind, having lost their final two games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Could the rally by the Mets today along with the good fortune of their competitors lose finally break this second half malaise?

Not so fast. The Arizona Diamondbacks, the team that sold a ton of talent at the deadline, have appeared in the rear view mirror. They have actually leapfrogged the Reds and are only two games out. But here, the Mets get more good news. The D’backs final four series are against the Giants, Phillies, Dodgers and Padres. They can’t possibly jump into the final spot, can they? Take the good, take the bad, take them both and there you have the final Wild Card spot.

Can the Yankees Finally Top the Red Sox?

Wonderful. Well not really. Tonight’s New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game is on Apple TV. Therefore, with the Yanks winning 2-0 as I write this, I have the displeasure of not viewing it. Instead, I get the non-privilege of watching the New York Mets continue their second half from hell. Yanks-Red Sox in September equals national TV broadcasts: tonight, Apple TV, tomorrow, MLB Network and Sunday, ESPN. The two teams have a storied rivalry, hence the national audiences. However, the 2025 season is anything but a rivalry as the Sox have dominated the Yanks, winning eight games out of ten.

Time for Max Fried to be the big money pitcher the Yankees pay him to be. Credit: NY Post

New York is due.

New York is primed to sweep Boston.

Boy I hope so.

I say that are ready for this because Aaron Judge is peaking at the right time. He has spent most of this last week chasing down and surpassing Yankee legends Yogi Berra and Joe DiMaggio on the career home run list. Hopefully, this momentum carries over into the playoffs and buries the narrative that he can’t perform when it counts. Look at Giancarlo Stanton. The last time his batting average was better than his current .268 this late in the season was four years ago. He has 20 home runs in 63 games. I get this feeling Max Fried will have a dominant start on Saturday like another legendary Yankee , Whitey Ford. His big Yankee moment has to come at Fenway Park. Most of all, this team is too talented to remain Boston’s punching bag for yet another three games. They need to showcase why they are the defending American League champions.

In all likelihood, these two teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. This series, with the teams separated by a half game, will go a long way in determining who will be the host. A Yankees sweep would stop the Red Sox aura of invincibility surrounding these meetings in 2025. A Yankee series defeat will leave a ton of questions about how equipped this team is to return to the World Series.

Are the Phillies Getting Hot At the Right Time?

I sit here on Wednesday night watching the Philadelphia Phillies beating up on the New York Mets yet again. The Phillies won the first two games of the four game series this week and are trending toward a third straight win. The division race is over and suddenly, they are creeping closer to grabbing the #1 seed in the National League. The Mets have been bad, losers of four straight, heading toward a fifth consecutive loss tonight. However, the broader question is this.

Are the Phillies getting hot at the perfect time?

The Phillies are celebrating their latest good stretch of baseball. Credit: Yahoo

This week did not start out so good. The left side of their infield, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm, were placed on the injured list. Bohm will be back as soon as ten days have concluded while Turner could miss the rest of the regular season. A first round bye would be welcome for the club. Since August 1st, Philadelphia is 24-13 and has won six of eight games to begin September. Bryson Stott has awaken from a season long slump, hitting .333 over his last seven games. Same for Brandon Marsh, who is at .344 over his last 30 contests. Ranger Suarez struck out a career high 12 batters on Tuesday. Jhoan Duran and David Robertson have lifted the entire bullpen. This stretch has come with some significant adversity. Both Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are hitting under.200 over the last month. Ace Zack Wheeler last pitched August 15 and is done for the year. Bohm and Turner are now going to miss a minimum of ten games. 11 games over .500 with so many issues? It sounds like a squad that is peaking.

Just wait until Harper and Schwarber resume hitting. The injured infielders get a little bit of a break before the hardest part of the season. After a tough trip to Los Angeles and Arizona, the Phillies close out the year at home vs. the Marlins and Twins. Everything is pointing to the continuing torrid stretch exhibited by the team. The next question is, will it carry the Phillies to a Word Series championship?